Egypt to promote infrastructure at Sudan’s Al-Damazin Farms

CAIRO: A sand dam of a 500,000 m2 capacity will be built in Al-Damazin Farms south of Khartoum as part of an agricultural integration project between Egypt and Sudan, Irrigation Minister Hossam Moghazy told Youm7 in a Saturday report.

The project will be put out to tender after a specialized committee from the Irrigation Ministry finish its terms, Moghazy said, adding that the committee has inspected the farm and collected the needed data.

Two bridges and all sand dams at Al-Damazin will be developed, wells and solar-powered pumps will be constructed to provide drinking and irrigation water as part of the project, according to Moghazy.

The animal research station in Singa town of Sudan’s Sennar state will also be developed, the minister said.

Egypt has followed a strategy of cooperation with African states since 2013 as the country tries to avoid the potential adversities of the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD.) The Egyptian Partnership Agency for African Development was established in 2014 to enhance ties with Egypt’s Sub-Saharan neighbors.

In May 2015, Moghazy told Youm7 Egypt would grant $10.5 million to Kinsasha over five years to enhance the living conditions of the underprivileged people of the Democratic Republic of Congo; the grant targets water-related infrastructure.

Military leaders and chiefs of staff from 10 African nations received training in Egypt Jan. 17-Feb. 26, 2015 to develop their skills.

In March 2015, former Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab attended the inauguration of Jacqueville Bridge in the Ivory Coast after Egypt’s Arab Contractors finalized it. The company, an affiliate of the Housing Ministry, said in July 2014 it has projects worth $2 billion in 18 countries in the African continent, including in Tanzania and Chad.

In Uganda, Moghazy attended the December 2015 inauguration of the first well out of 50 drilled by Egyptian grants and a heavy equipment site to build sand dams.

By December last year, 70 out of 75 other wells had been constructed to provide Ugandans with clean water as part of joint projects in deprived areas in Uganda worth $4.5 million. The minister also signed several contracts to operate wells by solar power.